Combined ash tray and pipe cleaner



Oct. 31, 1933. R, HQPPLE 1,932,625

COMBINED ASH TRAY AND PIPE CLEANER Filed DeC. 9. 1932 @34 7 K6 &6:

INVENTOR. gen/5571?. //0PPL BY %Z%.

A TTORN E Y. 1

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

in an ash tray.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind including an ash trayjournaled freely on a support and carrying a vertically extended pipe Iscraper comprising angularly set and spirally curved scraping elements,whereby a pipe may be cleaned by placing it in an inverted position andturning the ash tray, the loosened ashes falling into the ash tray.

A further object is to provide a device oi this kind in a simple,efiicient and attractive form adapted for support on a table or otherflat surfaceor for use in the automobile.

With these and other objects in View, the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth andclaimed, reference being had to the accompany ing drawing, whereinFigure 1 is a top plan view of an ash tray and pipe scraper particularlyadapted for mounting on the dash board of an automobile or similarmounting.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section along the line 2--2 in Figure 1.

- Figure'3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a slightlydifferent construction of the ash tray and pipe scraper. V

Figure 4 is a detached top plan view of the pipe scraper shown in Figure3.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section through a a modified form of theash tray and pipe scraper adapted for suppprt on a desk or table.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of pipe scraper alone.1

Referring now with more particularity to the embodiment of my inventionshown in Figures 1 and 2, the reference character 1 designates the ashtray of cup-like form having the curved or semi-spherical bottom 2 andupstanding annular rim 3, the latter being encircled near its top by arigidly fastened ring 4 having finger notches 5 around its periphery.The pipe scraper 6 comprises the supporting stem v7 having an enlargedbase 8 soldered or otherwise secured rigidly to and verticallyextended'from the tray bottom 2 at the center thereof and having also anelongated axially extended pivot pin receiving recess or socket 9registering at itslower end with an aperture 10 through the bottom 2. Asupporting element or bracket 11 is provided and curved as shown to formthe mounting leg 12 and supporting foot 13, the leg 12 having a vacuumor suction cup 14 at its upper end as a means for attaching the deviceto any flat surface, as indicated at A in dotted lines. A vertical pivotpin 15 is passed upwardly through an aperture 16 in the bracket foot 13and is secured rigidly in place by a nut 17, and the ash tray 1 issupported on the bracket 11 by inserting this pin 15 in the aperture 10and recess 9 of the tray and stem 7 respectively. The upper end of thepin 15 is pointed at 18 to engage the closed end 19 of the recess 9, andthe proportion between the length of the pin and recess is such that theash tray 1 is supported clear of the bracket 11 as shown, and may bereadily rotated on the pin 15. The ring 4 facilitates this rotation ofthe ash tray by afiording a convenient grip for the hand.

The scraping element of the pipe scraper 6 is formed of four blades 21joined centrally at 22 and extended radially outward and then turned orbent angularly at 23 to present their edges 24 at apositionsubstantially at right angles to their path as the tray isrotated. Additionally, the blades 21' are twisted in a spiral directionfrom top to bottom to give a sort of screw effect, as so will beunderstood.

In use, the pipe to be cleaned is inverted and its bowl shown in thedotted lines B is placed downover the scraping blades 21, while the tray1 and, of course, the scraping blades are rotated as aforesaid. Thedottle or ashes in the pipe bowl are thus loosened and scraped from thebowl and fall to the bottom of the tray, making the pipe ready forrefilling and smoking. The provision and location of the ring makes thisa convenient one-handed operation, since the pipe bowl may be held overthe scraper and the ash tray whirled by the fingers of the same hand,this being of great advantage in the use of the device in theautomobile.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the ash tray 1a has its rim3a turned or formed inwardly and reduced in diameter near its upperendat 25, andthe notched ring 4a is secured to this reduced portion sothat it does not project beyond the plane of the rim 3a as shown. Thepipe scraper 60: comprises the stem 7a having the base 8a by which it issecured to the bottom 20 of the ash tray and has the recess 9a for thepivot pin 15a supported on the bracket 11a. Difiering from thepreviously described structure, the stem 7a also has a diametricallyenlarged head plate 26 and the pipe scraping element proper is formed ofwires 27 extended vertically through apertures 28 in the head plate 26in equi-spaced relationshipand secured or soldered at their lower endsin sockets 29 in the upper face of the base 8a. These wires 2'7 extendupwardly from the head plate 26 a considerable distance and are twistedor directed angularly, as shown at 30, and are then turned inwardly at31 and secured together at their ends 32 so as to provide a somewhattapered, cylindrical and ribbed frame adapted to enter a pipe bowl andscrape the ashes therefrom when the ash tray is rotated, as aforesaid.To enhance their scraping effect, the wires 27 may be of square orangular cross section, as will be understood. The bracket 11a has a.clamping screw 33 and wing nut 34 by which the tray may be secured inwell known manner to the dash board C of an automobile.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 5 is particularly adaptedfor table or desk use and accordingly the supporting element is in theform of a flat circular base 35, and the pivot pin 15b is extendedvertically up through the center of this base and is secured in place byscrews 36 through its head 3'7, the said head being sunk in a recess 38in the base as shown. The ash tray 1b is also of circular cup-like form,having a bottom 2b and annular rim 3b, the latter being formed inwardlyand reduced near its upper end, as shown at 25b in manner similar to thering 3a shown in Figure 3. The bottom 2b has an aperture 10b to clearthe pivot pin 15b which extends upward therethrough into the recess 9bof the pipe scraper 6b. This pipe scraper 6b has blades 21b similar tothe blades 21 shown in Figures 1 and 2, and provided on a mounting stem7b, which has a flange 39 at its bottom, by which it is secured to thebottom 2b of the ash tray by means of screws 40 extended through theflange into the tray. The use and operation of this form of theembodiment will be clear without further description, and it will beunderstood that in this form, the base and tray may be turned from wood,molded of rubber, cast of metal or formed of sheet metal, as desired.

In Figure 6 is shown a modification of the pipe scraper shown in Figures3 and 4, in which the scraping element is in the form of a single wire41 bent intermediate its ends and having its legs 42 extended downthrough apertures 280 in the head plate 260 of the stem '70 and securedat their ends in sockets 290 in the base 80. The bight 43 of the wire'isthus disposed above the head plate 260 and is given a twist or angularturn so that it will act somewhat as a screw for cleaning the ashes froma pipe bowl placed thereover, as will be understood.

While I have herein set forth certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minordetails, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as best toconstruct a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a supporting element, a pivot pinextended from the supporting element, an ash tray, and a pipe scrapermounted on the ash tray and having a recess to receive the'said pivotpin.

2. In a device of the kind described, a supporting element, a pivot pinextended from the supporting element, an ash tray, and a pipe scrapermounted on the ash tray and having a recess to receive the" said pivotpin, the said pivot pin being pointed at this end and adapted to contactthe inner end of the recess to support the tray freely on the supportingelement.

3. In a device of the kind described, a supporting element, a pivot p'nextended upwardly from the supporting element, an ash tray having acentrally located aperture adapted to receive the said pivot pin, and apipe scraper including a stem secured to the bottom of the ash tray andhaving an ax ally extended recess to receive the said pivot pin.

4. In a device of the kind described, a supporting element, a pivot pinextended upwardly from the supporting element, an ash tray having acentrally located aperture adapted to receive the said pivot pin, and apipe scraper including a stem secured to the bottom of the ash tray andhaving an axially extended recess to receive the said pivot pin, thesaid pipe scraper also including upwardly projecting and radiallyextending cleaning blades angularly bent near their outer margins.

5. In a device of the kind described, a supporting element, a pivot pinextended upwardly from the supporting element, an ash tray having acentrally located aperture adapted to receive the said pivot p'n, and apipe scraper including a stem secured to the bottom of the ash tray andhaving an axially extended recess to receive the said pivot pin, thesaid pipe scraper also including spaced and spirally twisted wiresextended upward from the stem and turned inwardly and secured togetherat their upper ends.

6. In a device of the kind described, a bracket, a pivot pin extendedfrom the bracket, an ash tray having an opening in its bottom to receivethe pivot pin, a notched ring secured around the ash tray, a pipescraper comprising a stem and a base, the said pipe scraper beingsecured by its base to the bottom of the ash tray and extended upwardlytherefrom, the said stem having an elongated, axially extended recess toreceive the pivot pin, and radially extended blades on the upper end ofthe stem, the said blades being turned at an angle adjacent their outervertical margins.

'7. In a device of the kind described, a base, a pivot pin extendedvertically from the base, an ash tray having an opening in its bottom toreceive the pivot pin, a pipe scraper mou ted centrally in the ash trayand extended upwardly therefrom, the said pipe scraper comprising a stemand radially extended blades and the said stem having an elongatedrecess to rotatably receive the said pivot pin.

8. In a p'pe scraper, a stem, a base on one end of the stem, an enlargedhead plate on the other end of the stem, the said base having sockets inits upper face and the head plate having aligned apertures, and a wirebent intermediate its ends to form a bight and spaced legs, the saidlegs being extended through the apertures in the said head plate andsecured at their ends in the sockets in the base.

ERNEST R. HOPPLE.

